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Its all over the internet, the Federal Communication Commission ruled in favor of net neutrality on Thursday. So why does that matter for your ecommerce company? With the implementation of the net neutrality law, the FCC is banning “paid prioritization” or, the practice Internet providers use to charge higher premiums or even block various content creators. Ecommerce companies are relying more and more on content marketing, and the kind of content they are creating is become more diverse, from blog style posts to videos. Some of this content like the videos require more bandwidth, the very thing internet providers would charge a higher premium on if not for net neutrality. With the enactment of net neutrality, brands and retailers can feel safe in creating more comprehensive content strategies without fearing higher premiums or losing out on valuable consumers because of delayed or blocked content.

Pinterest is officially banning all affiliate links as of the announcement on February 12. This is especially relevant for brands and retailers who work directly with bloggers and top pinners to drive customers from Pinterest to their sites. Pinterest plans to “automatically remove all affiliate links, redirects and trackers on Pins.” However, the Pins themselves will still be there and will continue to be pinable. The move comes after Pinterest various steps towards monetization including the implementation of Promoted Pins and the announcement of the release of a “Buy” button. The elimination of affiliate pins looks like a step towards eliminating the competition in collecting revenue from brands and retailers for sales driven from Pinterest.